Centre to Provide more Choppers, Special Battalion to Chhattisgarh in

Centre to Provide more Choppers, Special Battalion to Chhattisgarh in Effort to Tackle Maoists

The government at the Centre has on Monday made it clear that the insurgent Maoists will be dealt with harshly by agreeing to provide helicopters for the deployment of troops in situations of conflict. It has also favoured increasing chopper strength in areas that have been affected by the Naxals.

During a high-level meeting that was chaired by Rajnath Singh, the Home Minister, the Centre has also decided that 2000 multi-skilled personnel in order to carry out development work in Chhattisgarh, where Naxal violence has had worst impact.

During that meeting that was also attended by Raman Singh, the CM of Chhattisgarh, along with top officials of the home ministry, Anil Goswami, the Union Home Secretary had given a presentation during which he had said that four helicopters were in use for rescue operations of by troops in situations of conflict.

The Centre has also been requested by the state government to use choppers for the deployment of troops or for the sending of reinforcements when an encounter was taking place, to which the Centre had agreed, said official sources.

It was in principle agreed by the home ministry to increase number of helicopters to six, which is subject to the approval of the defence ministry.

The Chief Minister, who is facing shortage of contractors for the development work in the Naxal-hit areas of the state, has sought help from the Centre in providing almost 2000 multi-skilled personnel who have technical knowledge.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Raman Singh said that two technical battalions, consisting of about 2000 men and comprising of engineers have been sought for construction projects in the state.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) was involved in several projects in Chhattisgarh till 2010, after which it had begun withdrawing after the UPA government, which was in power then, had decided to strengthen the network of roads along the Indian-China border for which the BRO is given first preference.

An additional 10 battalions, consisting of about 10,000 personnel had recently been cleared by the Centre in order to maintain law and order in the state.